KARACHI: Labour and civil society organizations activist Thursday expressed serious concern over bureaucratic hurdles being created allegedly by the Ministry of Overseas and Human Resource Development that they believed was causing delays in payments of pension to victims’ families of Baldia factory fire incident. Addressing a joint press conference, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) Executive Director Karamat Ali demanded release of funds to the Sindh Employees Social Security Institutions (SESSI) for payment of pensions to the affected families. He was flanked by Nasir Mansoor, deputy general secretary of National Trade Unions Federation, Saeeda Khatoon, chairperson Ali Enterprise Fatory Fire Affectees Association, Habibuddin Junaidi convener Sindh Labour Solidarity Committee, Zehar Khan, general secretary of Home-Based Women Workers Federation, Aziz Bhai, general secretary of the affected families association and Abdul Rauf, general secretary of Muttahida Labour Federation (MLF). “We call upon the prime minister to take stern action against those who are creating hurdles in payment of pension to victims’ families,” said Karamat Ali. He gave a three-day ultimatum to the federal government to resolve the issue, otherwise, he said a protests would be organized across the country. Karamat Ali said that the German textile buyer KIK Textillien had provided $5.15 million via International Labour Organisation (ILO) for payment of pension to affected families under an agreement and after determination of the pension’s payment mechanism, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) signed a memorandum of understanding (ILO) with Sindh government for the payment. Published in Daily Times, May 4th 2018.